Apeks EXOTEC Dive BCD

The EXOTEC's signature is the BioReact articulating waist — the backplate pivots as you move, so you can walk upright to the entry point with the cylinder's weight spread evenly across your hips instead of hanging off your shoulders. Add the Wrapture harness, a wraparound bladder for stable trim, an Armourguard bladder that does not absorb water, one of the fastest inflators in the industry (Powerline), four flat dump valves, and a fully modular construction that lets parts be repaired instead of the BCD replaced.

The patented SureLock II system holds 2 x 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of releasable weight with a mechanical single-pull release, plus 4 x 5 lbs (2.2 kg) in non-releasable trim positions — up to 20 lbs droppable and 20 lbs of trim. Apeks recommends loading in 5 lb increments or less, with block weights preferred.

Sizes run XS/S, S/M, M/L, and XL/XXL. As a reference point, the M/L is CE-rated at 46 lbs (210 Newtons / 20 liters) of lift — generous for cold-water rigs. Apeks does not publish a body-measurement chart for it, so if you are between sizes, tell us your height, weight, and torso length and we will size you from fitting experience.

A BCD should fit snugly enough that it does not ride up toward your ears when inflated, while still letting you breathe fully. Fasten the waist and cummerbund first, then adjust the shoulder straps so the tank sits close to your back and the shoulders cannot slide off. With the BCD fully inflated at the surface you should still be able to take a deep, comfortable breath; if it squeezes your chest, loosen it or move up a size.

Rinse the outside in fresh water and also flush the inside of the bladder, because salt water gets in through the inflator and dump valves. Fill the bladder roughly a third full of fresh water through the oral inflator, slosh it around, then drain it out through the inflator and each dump valve. Hang it to dry out of direct sunlight and store it partially inflated so the bladder walls do not stick together.

Integrated weight pockets carry the lead in the BCD itself, which many divers find more comfortable and easier on the hips, while a weight belt keeps the weight independent of your BCD. Either way, you must be able to release your ditchable weight quickly with one hand, and your buddy should know how your system releases. Non-ditchable trim pockets are useful for balance but should never hold weight you might need to drop.

Make sure the BCD is completely dry inside and out before packing so it does not mildew in transit. Remove all weights, deflate it fully, and fold or roll it around softer items such as a wetsuit to cushion the inflator and valves. Avoid hard creases in the air cell, and unpack and air it out as soon as you arrive.

Follow the service interval in the manufacturer's manual, which is commonly an annual inspection alongside the rest of your life-support gear. Have the inflator, dump valves, and bladder checked any time the inflator sticks, free-flows, feels rough, or the BCD holds air poorly. Between services, confirm that it inflates and deflates properly as part of every pre-dive check.

A jacket-style BCD holds air in panels that wrap around your sides as well as your back, while a back-inflate BCD keeps the entire air cell behind you. Jacket styles tend to feel very stable and upright at the surface, and back-inflate styles keep the chest clear and are often preferred for horizontal trim underwater. Neither is objectively better, so treat it as a fit and preference decision and try both if you can.

Most recreational BCDs use an adjustable cam band sized for common single-cylinder diameters, so standard aluminum and steel tanks generally work. Re-check the band tension after the first wetting, because webbing can relax slightly and let the tank shift. If you dive doubles or unusual cylinder diameters, confirm compatibility with the manufacturer before assuming it will hold.

The EXOTEC's party trick is the BioReact articulating waist — the backplate pivots as you walk, so the cylinder's weight rides on your hips instead of your shoulders on the way to the water — plus SureLock II weights (2 x 10 lbs ditchable, 4 x 5 lbs trim) and a CE-rated 46 lbs of lift in M/L. The Hydros Pro 2 answers a different problem: a molded Monprene gel harness that shapes to your body, a one-handed Monorail weight system, and a Smart-Pack design that folds flat for luggage. Pick the EXOTEC for long shore walks and heavy rigs; pick the Hydros Pro 2 for custom fit and travel packing.

Venting is one of the EXOTEC's strengths: it has four flat dump valves in addition to the inflator, so you are not dependent on one dump in one body position. The Powerline inflator is also one of the fastest in the industry on the way in. Combined with the wraparound bladder, that makes fine buoyancy adjustments quick to make and easy to undo.